Jill's Blog

Aloha!

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 10:43:00 +0000

Ooh, boy, am I going to have a serious bout of jetlag when I get home. It's 3:43 a.m. in Utah...but only 11:43 at night in Maui. We just got back from one of those cheesy luaus where the food is mediocre, the show kitsch and yet you still wind up having a great time. It helps that there's an open bar with the tender free pouring. And that I can never get enough of watching Sage dance and enjoy herself.
A few more days and we’ll be back in town and I'll be wondering what happened to the summer. Like Goto our 60-year-old Japanese surf instructor in Lahaina said about the waves: You wait and wait then all of a sudden it's on top of you so you better be ready to paddle hard and ride otherwise you'll miss it. Is that a bad thing, really? When the falls and winters are so spectacular along the Wasatch and down south? I feel like such a loser that I've climbed a handful of times at Rockreation, scaled the cliffs above the Needles gondola at Snowbasin once and done two hikes. How could I be this lame when I used to have multi-sport days? Now, I'm lucky if I get in a multi-sport week.
I can't blame motherhood. Ryan would watch Sage after 4pm if I asked him. I can blame the heat, the finishing touches of construction, the prohibitive high price of the only local gym in town (that needs a serious dose of humility- 24-hr Fitness won't you please open up a branch in Park City?). But now that it's gotten cooler, the Stump Jumper is begging for a spin. It'll happen when I get home seeing as at home there's no surf to tackle. Did I mention that I am the queen of the big foam board? I stood up on every wave I caught and rode it in until I felt it was time to paddle out. Pretty cool sport. And Lahaina, Maui, has got to be one of the best spots for learning. They call them surf farms- the schools that teach out there; dragging classes of 5 to 8 people each out to places like the Breakwall. And some bitch did put her board between my legs as she cut me off in mid-surf. But it's not like we don’t experience the same on any given powder day. The good spots are bound to be packed. Goto, the Mr. Myagi of surfing, also compared the experience to driving on the freeway- you get in your lane and go. Don't worry about the other drivers.
Wish I could stay another two weeks here and hone the surfing- maybe get up on a hard board (or at least try) but the time will soon arrive to head back and kick the mountain sports back into gear.
Maui's been great though. The highlights- surfing, of course, having Matthew Murasko from Olukai Footwear take us through the Bamboo Forest just off the Hana Highway, brilliant sunsets, snorkeling in Honoloa Bay and watching Sage go nuts for the water (in the jetted tub, the pools at the Westin and the ocean). Tomorrow we'll do the Maui Onion Festival with my parents. I hope they'll have Maui onion rings so that the next time I dine on onion rings in some stateside restaurant I can brag that I had real Maui onion rings in Maui.

Welcome to June and the Summer?

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Sat, 31 May 2008 05:50:00 +0000

I think I shall ski tomorrow. Yes, Snowbird is still open and yes I'm still interested in making turns. I know it's supposed to be summer but the trails are too muddy for hiking or biking and the mountains are still covered in snow. I'll admit, part of my motivation is a story I'm working on about the economics of late season skiing (check out the IndustryReport.com June 16) but the other is that I'm desperate for exercise. I climbed at Rockreation with Kristen last Wednesday and that was about it since my week in Mammoth May 16 where I skied one day and snowboarded (or shall I say, got my body pummelled) one day. I'm committed to climbing at least once a week but I really thought I would be moved into my new office - stairstepper and all- by now and back to my workout regime. Best laid plans. My sheetrock guy went to jail for a week on cocaine charges and the momentum jerked to a halt. Needless to say, I didn't welcome him back after his stint in the "graybar motel". I've already unwittingly had my camera and watch stolen since construction began, I don't need to attach a neon sign to my things now. So I still have a bunch of little things let to finish.

The thrift store finally hauled off my entertainment center and my parents big screen TV. Funny. I thought that piece of rear projection history would be worth a whole lot more than whatever that 5-n-dime in Heber is going to sell it for. Sigh. It was one of the first ever on the scene. I dragged it out from San Diego and it worked great until I upgraded with the folks' next hand-me-down. Then it sat in the garage collecting dust; failing to sell at last year's yard sale and throughout the year on Craigslist.

Tomorrow, I'll ski and forget all about it. I hear it's mid-winter up there. Looking forward to the bragging afterwards. "I skiied the last day of May." And next week, I'll have "skiied the first weekend of June." We are promised turns at least until Dad's Day. No word yet on Fourth of July skiing but no matter. Ryan, Sage and I are off to Boston to visit Vavo and Vavao(?)- that's grandma and grandpa for those Portuguese challenged. Did I fail to mention that Sage is half Portuguese? I think that is sooo cool. Who would have thought that this whitebred American Jewish chick would wind up with a Portuguese (non-practicing) Catholic? I did always have a thing for dark, handsome foreigners. It started around the time The Godfather won those Oscars. Maybe Sage's legacy will even help her get into college one day. You never know.

Sage Signs For More

Speaking of which, those gorgeous blue eyes of hers are here to stay! Her mousy blond hair is past her shoulders and although I clipped her some bangs to keep the strands from getting glued to her snot nose in the mornings, they have grown past her nose again. She can point to most all the parts of her body, she still loves baths and when we watch "So You Think You Can Dance," she actually drops to the floor and tried to breakdance. I promise to video this soon so you can all chuckle with us. It's too cute. She's also learning to jump up and down. She does great in her crib but only gets one foot off at a time when she's on the ground. She occasionally gets them both airborn but when she lands, she falls. Tomorrow I bet she gets it. Her words are coming along and it sure helps that she knows sign. Otherwise, it would be hard to figure out whether she wanted the book or the ball, juice or shoes, cracker, cookie or cheese. It's so much easier to communicate with her. But I forget how important it is to teach everyone else the signs too. My mom whined when she spent the day with her in Mammoth. She laughed and scolded me because Sage signed to her all day long and she couldn't understand a single word or figure out what Sage wanted. Oh the poor things!

So now at 21 months, Sage can say (and sign) More, Ball, Book, Please, Cheese, Da-EE, Mama, Juice, Food, Shoes. She can sign- shirt, pants, bath, hug, baby, boy, yes, thank you, diaper, poop, toes, dirty, water, cracker, cookie, dog, sleep, pacifier, milk, up, down, and I'm sure there are some I missed.
When we read Goodnight Moon, she points to the pictures in the book as I say them- Goodnight Cow jumping over the moon, goodnight brush, goodnight stars. I ask her where the balloon is and she puts her finger on the image. I have no idea if she's smarter than the average toddler but it's so thrilling to see what was once a lump, interacting and responding like a little human being.
Tenaya is her protector. If she's not sleeping at the side of my bed, she's curled up at the baby's door. Must be those scraps she snags from the highchair at mealtime. Only takes a few snips of bacon to know who your best friend should be.
Well, I best hit the hay if I want to have any energy for the slushfest tomorrow. The forecast stated 60 degrees and sunny in the mountains! Toodles.

Long Time No Chat

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:40:00 +0000

Wow, I think this has been the longest stretch I've gone without blogging since I started blogging. I blame the stellar Wasatch ski season, my gargantuan home construction and being the mom of a one year old. Does that buy me a hall pass? I still have 60 hours of programming to watch on my DVR! On the bright side, I've painted the new spaces and have moved onto purchasing a office desk and appliances for the downstairs mom-in-law space and Sage has said her first word beyond Mama and Daddy. She can say "MORE". Yup; her very first word; ironic isn't it? A true Adler. She also loves bagels, takes huge spills without a tear shed, and laughs and babbles up a storm. She's walking fast but not running yet. Signing more words- ball, baby, bath, socks, shoes, diaper- but more importantly she 'gets it.' When we wake in the morning, she picks up her toys before we leave her room, I ask her where her binky is and she looks for it and finds it, she tells me what she would like to eat, she grabs her ankles and lifts up her butt for the diaper change, stops fussing before I count to '5' (9 times out of 10 :)). Our baby is growing up! She'll be 21 months on the 12th so I suppose it's to be expected. Hoping the "terrible twos" will pass us like Elijah.
To see the evolution of the construction, http://picasaweb.google.com/mtnmedia/HomeAdditionRemodel?authkey=YL7DnLtOcdY
and of Sage: http://picasaweb.google.com/mtnmedia/19MonthsOld

Hello Again!

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 05:52:00 +0000

I got my ass spanked in the terrain park at PCMR today. Not that I crashed or anything major but with hyper adrenaline charges pumping, I was whisked into the park and pride forced me to step up - on 4 trips through the beast. It was Jonesies. Three years ago this was the baby park. Now it's the medium-sized one but you could have fooled me. #1 - I cleared the knuckle each time but came down on my tails before correcting my balance. The PSIA clinician said I was an ACL accident waiting to happen. Not good for the psyche when it was right back up for round two. Bigger, faster and more centered, I nailed all three landings but damn those can still feel like someone is drilling into your feet from below. #3- first jump came up short and I landed on the knuckle. No biggie really but being concerned about clearing the next jump, I started my straightrun from that rollover. I was flying and then I was flying. I caught so much air it scared me. I nearly hit the flats after the landing. Not good. I pulled out to the side and steadied myself for going sideways on the ''beginner" box. No problem riding straight on the 2-foot wide feature of flat white plastic with metal edges. But popping onto it and twisting 90-degrees so that I was perpendicular to it was another animal. Four times I tried; three I wiped out on my left hip and once I stayed on my feet- barely. My ankle, arm, hip, middle back and neck are all a little achey tonight.
I must be touched in the head because I really want to go back and conquer that beast. I bet if it was a sunny day, things would be different! Instead, the light was flat, it was snowing and frickin' cold. Plus, my hip flexors are weak from lack of training and I seemed to be working hard for each 180 and pop.

Back at the ranch, I found Lucas sheetrocking my new addition. It's coming along- slowly as always- but it's beginning to transform into something resembling a living space. The plan is to acid stain the concrete floor tomorrow. I can't wait. A new DIY project for Jill! So far, I've installed switchplates, lighting fixtures and painted and installed an organizer in my closet. I would have done more if there was more to do. We're moving soooo slowly. I can't believe it's taking more than 6 months. That's crazy.
Ryan's well and has been a huge help with the baby. For example, he drove up from Salt Lake to pick her up from the sitter's yesterday while I was stuck in SLC shopping for supplies. He came up tonight to watch her so I could make my digital photography class but I blew that off and we hung out for dinner instead. I do want to get a better understanding of my Canon but the class is boring and filled with that photograher's gibberish like F-stop, shutter speed, histogram, spot metering that puts me to sleep. After a day like today, I'd fade fast. I think I need a one on one to ever understand the mechanics of anything non point-n-shoot.
We spent three hours last Saturday shooting around a drab park (it was starting to snow, everything was dead (or hibernating), grey and still. Plus, I was freezing. It must have been in the 20s.
Here's one of my shots. What do you think? Do I have talent or what?
I am going to try to go back next week but I may have lost my way.
Updates:
Skiing's still really nice although the powder is now packed powder and locals are sitting things out until the next big dump. Tuesday maybe?
Sage said mama tonight and for the first time I seriously think she gets what it means. She has said it in the past but then it was more like part of her babbling. Today at dinner Ryan asked her, "Where's mama?" Sage looked right at me and said, "Mama." I know this shouldn't so exciting but when you've waited nearly 19 months and everyone starts wondering why your baby is 'slow' at speech you can't help but swoon over the accomplishment. She has been signing for communication. She knows the signs for milk, diaper, more, please, cheese, juice, sleep and daddy. I so love being able to give Ryan shit about baby signlanguage. When I took my class and tried to teach him some words he said no way and that he would have to see it to believe. Now he believes.
She walks, she crawls up steps, she loves bathtime, sleeps 12 hours a night and is still mostly eating food from the baby jars. She likes them and they're all natural so why not. This way she's guaranteed to eat her veggies (unlike her mama). And speaking of eating, Sage is 24 pounds and 32 inches. She has outgrown clothes from my almost 3 yr old niece! The two babies are now about the same size.
Tenaya's starting get some payback for all of these months of (relative) inattentive. The baby is tossing balls to her and Tenaya retrieves. ok, gotta go. Have to sleep. After three nights in a row of a mere 5 hour shuteye, I popped an Ambian and am now about to tuff my face into this keyboard. L8tr!

Sundance Day Two, Part Two (Friday)

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 10:48:00 +0000

The House of Hype brought to you by The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino offered a darkened corridor, cocktail waitresses and a live DJ as you strolled the avenue of sponsors from Goodyear (no tires just cans of Tire Shine and Hotwheels toy cars) to USA Golf and Havaiana Sandals (create your own flipflops). As I crafted my Mongolian Barbecue Basket Shoe at the Puma booth, I felt the heat of cameras and fans. It wasn't for me; ha ha. Sandra Oh (Grey's Anatomy) was in the house; picking out her own set of Pumas. Josh promised my custom sneakers would be shipped by the end of the month and I got out of the limelight by scooting over to Oakley. A pixie-like, cool chick named Chelsea handed me a pair of their new Breathless sunglasses. Olsen twin glam with the technical specs of a true Oakley. They definitely give me that Sundance 'look'. Throw in the Frye Gloria pumps (Frye is making fashion shoes in addition to boots now) and my Utah friends might not recognize me.
The style continued at The Boost Mobile Lounge at The Marquee. The New York nightclub has once again assumed the Buddha Lounge space on Main Street during the first four days of the Festival. The boutique clients lining the swanky, intimate bar introduced celebs like Marcia Gay Harden and Rex Lee (Entourage) to Klipsch speakers, Lia Sophia jewelry, cuddly LNA “boyfriend” Tees and Primp cotton/poly hoodies and waffle tops decorated with cute little piggies, pandas, moons or sheep. I got the most fabulous ruffled dress coat from Tulle and it was a tough decision; they have so many charming styles. The bauble on my finger is a Lia Sophia original you can find only on their website (liasophia.com) or through in-home party reps, and the Boost reps insisted I put my Sprint phone in their new Boosted Device Case designed by graffiti artist Madsteez. What I appreciated more was their information on Boost Mobile itself - a Sprint division - that offers unlimited local and long distance cell calls for as little as $35 (no contract, no credit check, no activation fees) depending on your home calling area. Though this probably wouldn't work for a world-traveler like myself (you pay .15/minute outside your extended area), my boyfriend would save a ton of money and those H1 Visa resort employees will dance circles for this new product.
Another company with a fresh cousin is New Balance's PF Flyers. Sporty, action/fashion shoes like the Journa are the perfect spring shoe for a mountain girl. Finally, I will be anxiously waiting for a Treesje handbag to arrive on my doorstep. The collection of bags on display was gorgeous. We’ll see if it actually shows once the Sundance circus leaves town.
I capped off my visit with a smoothy like drink from Lifeway Kefir. With the pro-biotic cultures for a healthier immune system, I might be able to ward off a potential hangover from tonight's parties: MySpace, The Horrors and Maroon 5.
Three hours later…..I did. The open bars stood no chance against my resilience.
As I eecked into traffic on Deer Valley Drive at 6 p.m. I said, "Screw it!" and turned around. The mess was obscene. We were at a crawl from every intersection. By the time I got home, changed and back to town it would be 9. Instead, I called Ryan, asked him to bring my Fox Girls top, parked at a friend’s house to do my makeup, and met him on Main. Just in time to watch the ambulance haul away some guy who had tried to steal a plasma screen from the Main Street Mall but wound up plunging off the balcony of Shabu in his attempt to flee. I heard later, he suffered only a concussion. Of course, he was also under arrest.
At the Horrors screening of their documentary "Counting in Fives" at The Marquee, the champagne and Maker's flowed. We sat down behind Jared Leto in a dorky bomber hat, spying on him as he hobnobbed with the punk band members. The flick itself wasn't really my thing (I'm not into punk nor rockumentaries) but I appreciated the scene. I guess the parties on Friday overloaded city circuits and the power went out all over Main Street. The blackout lasted more than 20 minutes- enough time to sneak next door for the Maroon 5 show at Harry O's. No one paid attention to us because we randomly happened to have the same color wristband as their guests. I almost wished we had been bounced. The band played well but crowd was overwhelming. The only celeb (?) in sight was Ian Zering. I kept silently wishing someone would call the fire marshal- it was that packed. We got out at 1 and headed over to the T-Mobile Diner at the VAY. Live music wafted amid the yelps from drunk snowtubers outside. We entered and bee-lined for the tureens of gourmet mac n' cheese, apple crisp and chocolate bread pudding. Former model Rachel Hunter, with fuller hips, stood nearby with friends. Eventually it was time to head home but this time there was no traffic. We hitched and a nice woman from L.A. picked us up and brought us to Ryan's car at Kimball Junction. You gotta love small towns. Stay tuned for Saturday's update, the people, the parties and the ginormous Sundance attendance thanks to the writers' strike.

Sundance Day Two

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 23:27:00 +0000

My new favorite place is the Village at the Yard. I’m sure the organizers had this intension. They split with Best Events (Village at the Lift) to start their own enterprise and although it’s not drawing the A-listers just yet, because of the off-Main Street location, they have so much more to offer- including parking, room to breathe in the café and less snooty check-in girls.
Here’s my royal peeve. Even if you are unrecognizable as a celeb or don’t travel with a publicist in tow, you should be treated with the same respect or at least attention. You have absolutely NO idea when that person you just dissed might have something you need (whether its press, a ski lesson or your next job). And yet some folks here think their sh*t don’t stink. I read somewhere that you should treat everyone like a fan. Best advice I’ve ever had to consider. It made sense to me first when I was the third wheel of a #1 morning radio show. It was a classic rock show (like Howard Stern) and all sorts of characters approached like they knew me. As much as some of them scared me, I didn’t want strangers who were meeting me for the first time to run home and tell their friends what a bitch I was; and stop listening because of me. I wanted to be the one people talked about as “so nice”. Folks at the House of Hype whispered that all yesterday afternoon after Brittany Murphy floated through. Brittany’s got the right idea.
You want to be nice; even if you can’t help or can’t upgrade one type of pass to an all-access one. As I stood waiting for my turn at The Lift’s credential desk, I watched the girls at checkin assume one personality –sycophantic- when they recognized a name on a list, or arrogant and dismissive when they didn’t. Of course, some people just don’t care and I’ve been guilty of that on occasion but not on purpose. Sometimes our egos get the best of us and I suppose a four-day stint as the gatekeeper of a Sundance Lounge can go to your head, but jeez, folks, don’t let it!
In the everyday world, these girls they hire as Sundance credentialers are no more important than the person who foams their lattes on Monday morning. Just because they have the power of denial for this event should not spawn the kind of attitude you witness at the Sundance Film Festival. Unfortunately, This phenomenon is not limited to The Lift girls. It’s at the Sundance office itself, the houses and the parties. The ones who are the best at their jobs, however, (Fingerprint Communications operating the Boost Mobile Lounge, Stacey Wechsler’s Hired Gun Publicity, Tracy Paul & Company) get it. They actually look forward to meeting new people. But if you don’t, then fake it. You never know when the relationship you create will pay off.
That said, I was in wherever I wanted to be yesterday.
Kudos to Anderson Lumber off hwy 224 for moving out for the weekend to make the big bucks as the BNCPR’s Village at the Yard. In back, industry, media, and invited guests could drink Amstel Light around bonfire, snow tube on a mini sled hill, dine for breakfast, lunch and late night snacks at the wired T-Mobile Diner. With nearly 100,000 square feet, you aren’t angling for elbow room. I stopped at The Lift this morning and couldn’t help bumping into people- granted many had crowded around the front to take pictures with Method Man.
The VAY’s sponsors seemed to be more relaxed in their spacious environs. Timberland showcased their eco-friendly Earthkeeper boots. I can’t wait for it to warm up so I can don my Chelsea’s – the lining and outsole are recycled, the lining is also moisture wicking, they are fully waterproofed and they’re styling! I also picked up some Coochy cream from Pure Romance. Stealthy gifting celebs, the in-home personal products and accessories company has thought of everything for the bedroom; down to the “toy cleaner”. I’m looking forward to testing out the Basic Instinct pheromone cologne at the Roxy party tonight at Celsius. There was also room for the Humane Society to educate guests on seal-clubbing (I got a stuffed animal baby seal for Sage’s crib) and Diesel in partnership with A Perfect World encouraged me to select an outfit from their kids collection for one needy child participating in the APW are program. Twelve-year-old Shemar will be one styling dude soon! I stocked up with cream and conditioner at Drugstore.com’s Essentials Suite (I could have gotten some Airborne but my cold was at bay) and headed up town to the House of Hype for, what else?, hype.

First day of Sundance- Thursday Jan. 18

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 22:09:00 +0000

Location: Harry O’s NightclubSnow falls gently outside as maybe hundreds of eager Akon (or simply party) fans crowd the metal guardrail. The hoard of attractive women and guys in blazers, scarves and knit hats beg for VIP passage into the exit-only door. Many manage to squeak by, bewildering security.
As I make my move to the front to check the guest list, I merge with a group with obvious cache; I’m with them it’s assumed; I stick out my wrist and a plastic green band appears. I’m in, no questions asked! The mob behind me waiting to groove inside has no clue what just happened.After 2o minutes of hunting for that list to get my friends in the door, the guys give up and hand me two more bands. We’re all in! It’s nearly 11 p.m. The beat thumps and go-go dancers dressed like Halley Barry from James Bond, with striped knee socks and fuzzy black boots, gyrate; mesmerizing the men who obviously haven’t seen much action in a while. I silently wish I could dance like that.It’ll be a green night for Harry O’s. Patron shots ($12) sold like they’re running out of them. Akon doesn’t come on until nearly 1 a.m. (last call time) and I’ve sworn to leave by 1:30. Sigh. In the meantime, I’ve met a guy who promises to get me into the Maroon 5 show at Harry O’s tonight and another guy who will get me into the Hard Rock Party across the street and a gal who will get me into the ASCAP Music Café at the Star Bar. Everyone’s connected.More people will arrive today. Yesterday was mellow in comparison. I could find parking, my friends waitlisting for the Opening Night Premiere of In Bruges got in without a problem despite signing up only 30 minutes prior. I skipped that movie because Chase Masterson invited me to see her new movie debuting at the Park City Music Film Festival. I’m such a sucker for personal invites. The movie “Yesterday Was A Lie” held an interesting concept about time and memory but was a bit obtuse (obscure?) for the general public. Chase, however, did a great acting job. No complaints there.Today, it’s all about the gifting lounges before the evening festivities. I’m assuming that I’ll see as much green as Harry O’s. After all, green is ‘in’. For starters, the Sundance VIP baskets were filled only by eco-friendly companies. Chaos hats- with whom I work with in the ski industry- threw in a thick alpaca beanie and, although quite itchy, will look tres cool on the domes of Peter Sarsgaard, Quentin Tarantino, Jimmy Fallon, Mos Def, and more. So there’s The Lift, The Village at the Yard (which used to be the Village At The Lift), The Gibson Guitar Lounge, The Boost Mobile Lounge/The Marquee, The House of Hype, The L-R-G Gifting Villa, and I’m sure I’ve missed a bunch! Tonight, I’m looking forward to the Breakout British group The Horrors’ documentary screening at The Marquee and the after party. The MySpace premiere party is at the House of Hype from 6-9pm before that. And, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for that secret entry into Maroon 5. Whew. I’ll sleep when it’s over. I'll also ski when it's over. It's too frickin' cold right now anyway - 10 degrees!!!

Happy Holidays!

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:11:00 +0000

Time flies and we just closed our second Christmas with Sage.

Where did October and November go? I could have sworn I blogged at least once those months but then I'm slightly brain fried since beginning this construction project. What the hell was I thinking?? Starting a new addition in the winter?! The guy I hired to draw my plans- IN MAY- didn't get them submitted to the county for approval until OCTOBER. By then, the guys I had hired as my contractors totally flaked and stopped returning phonecalls. I decided to scrap the project until the spring but then my friend Steve Weinstein, a local Park City contractor, made me an offer I couldn't refuse- being that I'm fiscally conservative and all. He would oversee my project by phone and only charge me for days he actually had to show up at my house. I would handle everything and he would translate for me so that I understood what needed to be done and how to do it. Basically, he would be my consultant and I, the contractor. Insanity.

All of a sudden, I'm fielding phone calls, bids, inspections, material deliveries and charges. I get fun little surprises like hearing that the plans I paid $2k for were scrap paper because the designer failed to locate the septic tank before crafting his masterpiece. Steve redesigned on the fly and didn't really charge me because I hired his crew to excavate and frame. Today, Aspen Roofing is laying shingle and Aron (Steve's laborer) is sheeting the exterior for siding. Don't I sound like a construction guy? Pretty cool learning a whole new industry. I can't say I won't leave the job to professionals the next time around but I have saved some $5k so far even with the extra surprises - moving the septic tank cleanout location, the 10feet deep hard stone that had to be jackhammered for a week before they could excavate my backyard, my phone line getting sliced (Qwest raped me of $400 just to run a longer cable and connect wires!), paying a very nice Bosnian to cut part of a concrete wall that was in the way of framing ($550). Oh, and then it started to snow! Propane heaters to melt snow from the concrete and warm workers' hands and feet; trucks that couldn't make it up I-80 for deliveries or up my icy driveway.

The holidays sent this place into ghostville but we're back on track today. The goal is to at least have my guest room back to liveable so friends can stay over. Keith says if I let him crash here, he'll tile my new bathroom for me. Not a bad deal. And no, I have yet to tear apart my closet and bathroom for this remodel but, oh won't that be fun!

When it's all done, I will have a HUGE office and Sage will have her very own playroom. Right now I have divided my office via babygate. She gets half and I get half. With all her new holiday toys, however, there's no more room for me. :(

She got skis from Karhu- little ones that strap to her feet so she doesn't need to wear ski boots. They have a herring bone pattern on the bottom so she won't slide backward. Once it warms up (we're at 6 degrees today) we'll go out and shuffle around. If she's really a daredevil, we'll slide down my driveway!

My parents sent her a Teddy bear bigger than she is and we got her a Leap Frog activity table she can't stop playing. Ryan's parents sent her a ski suit and lots of other little goodies for the tree. I know we're Jewish but you can't deny a small child the pleasures of wrapped gifts surrounding nature (indoor nature :)). My dad didn't take the news of our Christmas tree well. But I swear Sage will get her Bat Mitzvah in 13 years.
The skiing has been great. I've had friends in town for the past week and we've been tolerating the temps for the freshies. A couple in the group got hurt but merely flesh wounds. They'll be skiing again full steam in a couple of weeks. You have to be on alert when it's early season. Your body isn't as catlike as it is by mid-winter. More snow is on call for tonight but today has been clear and sunny. Perfect Kodak day. I prefer tomorrow's forecast. Snow snow snow. The sun messes with your skin.

I better get back to work. Lots to do and workers to manage. ;) Don't call me if you have a construction project- although I have lots of good people to refer. BTW stay away from a company called KJ Builders. Concrete guys that will rob you blind. Luckily, I sniffed out the scam before I lost $2k. They want half up front then never show up to actually do the work. Lou Dellapena did the job right without an ounce of anxiety.

To Infinite and Beyond! Sage as a One-Year-Old.

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 05:29:00 +0000

I dreamt last night that I was at a Don Henley concert except that Don was the spitting image of Sam Elliott and sang more like Bruce Springsteen than a former Eagles. And there I was sitting on scaffolding, watching the action below when all of a sudden he's standing behind me, singing. I'm creeped out, not psyched and all I want to do is get down from there. Concert's over and I'm searching everywhere for Sage. She's near the portal and the stairs. Running for them. She's her actual age and all of sudden she's found her legs, she can walk, or better, run. She's not hearing or seeing me, she's taken off running. Faster than one of those pigs in a greased pig event. I dive and catch her but she's desperate to get away. And there are people everywhere getting in the way. I'm trying not to take it personally but she's running away from me! I panic. When did she learn to run?! I awake. It's just a dream. Whew.
Sage is still sleeping soundly in her room. She's not walking. She's not running. Not yet. But she sure likes to move around. I'm not sure what the Don Henley part has to do with anything but I do know how scared I am of Sage running around. When I put her on the bed, it's like she's break dancing. She must dig the softness of the mattress and sheets. On the floor, she scoots on one knee with the other foot flat on the ground to propel her. Soon, there'll be no stopping her?
She stands on her own, briefly, then sits back down. But mostly she plays quietly with her toys happy to greet you and share her toys with you. Walking may not be too far off and I'm not sure what to do at that point. Let her run up and down the hall? My books seem surprisingly vague about what to do with your newly mobile child beyond childproofing the house. How much time is minimally acceptable to spend playing during the day when you have work to do? Obviously supervision is key but does that mean I must leave the house every day for a romp in the park? Is every other day or three times a week acceptable? What should a one year old's 'normal' day look like? And what about eating? How much is normal when it's real people food? I'm used to the jars 2-3 a day. With eggs or spaghetti or bread, I can't tell if she's full or just doesn't like her food after a few bites. And my pede told me I should start weaning her from her bottle - at least start by cutting out one a day and giving her milk in a (sippy) cup. I try but she just skips her milk altogether until it's back in the bottle. I should be tougher but in the back of my head, the pede's words that I "really shouldn't worry about it until 15 months echo." The good news is that she doesn't need her nighttime bottle anymore. Water works fine. It's time for more recon.
It's been easy so far but Motherhood is rearing its ugly head and I have slim to no info about one-year-olds and how to be with them.
Next Monday, I head to Lake Powell for a four-day river trip on the Grand. No, I not taking the baby. Ryan will get to stay with her all by himself. A first for both of them! And my first time leaving her for more than a day since she was born. I'm just a 5-hour drive away if there's an emergency but they should be just fine bonding without mommy there. Hell, they'll probably love it. She's such a daddy's girl. The way he makes her laugh when he reads to her or dances with her. It's precious. Everyone should laugh like that at least once a day.
Oh well, the babe is sleeping soundly (as usual, or course ;) ) and I need to made good use of the quiet night and get back to work. For recent pictures of Sage and our quick trip to Vegas last week go to http://picasaweb.google.com/mtnmedia/VegasBaby.

Hope all is well and if you have any advice, I'm all ears.

She's on the Move!

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 06:54:00 +0000

Beach baby! You can see more pics from our San Diego trip at http://picasaweb.google.com/mtnmedia/MoreSDPhotos?authkey=Yylk4EdvLI8

At 5:15 p.m. on July 26, 2007, Sage crawled to me! We really thought she'd be one of those babies who skipped the dogmarch and went straight for walking but nope.

There she was, playing with Ryan in her room, with me watching from the doorway, when she spun on her bum and bee-lined for me like a padding puppy. I opened my arms wides, called to her and gave her the biggest, warmest hug when she got to me. I almost cried. My little baby was no longer completely dependent on me for transportation. I can't arrest the process. She's growing up. Uh Oh! Can this spell disaster? She's already fussing when I lay her on the changing table. Crying and squirming where she used to twirl the diaper cream tube and smile up at me as I wiped. She wants to sit up and play with the light switch.

It's back to the books to find out what I need to do to keep her from feeling cooped up yet plan the day so I can still work. Up till now, I could sit her down at various "stations" where she would play alone, and gleefully, for 1-2 hours until it was time for a scene change. She's still good at keeping herself entertained but I'd like her to be able to stretch her legs, or better, knees and arms too. ;) However, what happens now that I have to keep an eye on her?

Today, I caught Sage sitting in Tenaya's dog bed, swinging around the electric cord that she had just pulled from the wallplug. Yikes! I jumped down from the bed with a gasp, whisked her to another corner of my room where she could safely play with my pile of parenting magazines. Later, she tried to wrestle Tenaya's bone from the dog's mouth. Tenaya actually saw this as a game. as soon as she felt a tug, she'd let go of the bone, then Sage would hand it back to her. Good Doggy.

I gotta go. I'm on deadline for Salt Lake Magazine. They've asked me to be a regular contributer to their outdoors section. My first piece is due tomorrow! I interviewed for an editorial position there about two months ago but they aren't ready to allow their employees to telecommute and I learned a long time ago that M-F, 9-6 in a cubicle, just isn't in my genetic makeup. Wish it was; then Sage might actually have a college trust. Instead, she gets mommy 24/7. I'll remind her of that when she's 17 and begging for a new car!

Independence Day

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 05:09:00 +0000

Wouldn't it be ironic if Sage began crawling forward by Wednesday? She's so close. As I stood by the edge of the bed, I watched her inch on her back- head first- toward the point of no return. One more skooch. I caught her just as she launched. She laughed. That baby loves a freefall. I can't wait to take her on rollercoasters. I had initially planned to hit Disneyland when we roadtrip to Cali. this week but friends and family talked me down from that ledge. It's hot and crowded in July, she won't remember, blah blah blah. So instead, I'll investigate LegoLand. That's in between surf sessions.

The goal is to get up consistently on a board.

We found instructors from Craigslist to help. And my brother will also be in town (with my nieces) to add his two cents on surfing. Sage gets to meet her 2-year-old Cousin Tessa. In a sense, Sage already has since she's wearing most of her clothes! I'm actually very excited for this trip. Normally I'm going somewhere every other week in the summer but I stayed grounded after Telluride in May just to amp up for this trip. One week in cool San Diego. Wahoo!

We start our roadtrip on Thursday. Turns out I found a 28-year-old guy off of Craigslist to join us and split gas. He calls himself a "traveler" and hitches from place to place, country to country. He was in Utah visiting his dad and now he wants to get back to California. Ryan's afraid we're going to be escorting an axe murderer. I think he's just jealous. ;) But just in case- if you don't see a blog on here from San Diego, call the cops. the guy's name is Destry and he's traveling with a lab-size puppy.

Things are good with Ryan. We hit a rough patch two weeks ago where I considered professional help - for both of us. We just weren't communicating but bickering all the time. It was sucking the energy out of the room and me. Ryan didn't see this as a problem! He thought this was healthy debating. It was over stupid stuff like my driving (which is horrible and will always be), my lack of neatness (again, won't change), how potential tenants won't pay more a month just because you have a washer and dryer. Crap like that. He'll make a comment, I'll respond , he'll retort, I'll say. "This is a ridiculous conversation. Enough already." And he doesn't notice that it's time to change the subject. He'll go on and on trying to engage me.

The other day he said I should knock out my living room wall and put in big windows. I said, "Sure, as soon as you have the money for the project." You would think that was the end of story. But no, he had to continue to direct and explain why my house would look better. He didn't get that I agree with him; I'm just not going to do anything about it. Hence the need for communication advice. MEN. It gets terribly annoying. I love the house to myself- no tension, no conflict, no valuable time wasted on idiotic conversations about what I need to do differently. Now, some of you are thinking, sounds like he's trying to change you. And you would be right. And anyone who knows me, knows that's a very dangerous path to tread. But what I think is going on is not that he wants to change me in a literal sense but that he feels like he has no control and that I have it all - he's in my house, I am Sage's primary caregiver, what I say goes. So he tries to find control by trying to control me, when he's really just trying to assert himself. I wish I was equipped to deal with the ego struggle and he's got no skills for this sort of thing either. The words and tone come out all wrong. I'm sure we'll fight over this blog and he'll tell me to stop talking about him to the WWW, I'll get pissed, then apologize, say I'm sorry for hurting his feelings and reedit the blog. Or I could just take this whole paragraph out now. hmmmm.

Naw. it feels good to vent and it's not like there isn't a single chick out there that can't relate.
Ryan and I have been together more than four years. We're destined to survive this kind of BS. He's still a sweet guy who deserves more appreciation from me!

Meeting Your Tiger Beat Heartthrob

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 07:49:00 +0000

I have to gush; I spent the entire weekend with one of my childhood crushes. Richard Hatch aka Apollo from the original Battlestar Galactica. The actor was in town to teach a two-day acting workshop. I signed up for two reasons, I like acting workshops and I had to meet Richard. After all, how often does one get this kind of opportunity?

When I was ten I devoured my Tiger Beat magazines looking for secrets as to what he likes in a woman. He was 33! Hustler of Muscle Beach, Deadman's Curve, and Battlestar. Hatch was hot. With dark, feathered hair, light eyes and strong demeanor, I was hooked. Then I became a teen and gave up on star crushes, turning my sights on the boy down the street named Brad Luff. I might as well have pined for Richard. Brad had the cheerleader babe girlfriend and they were like the dream couple. Sigh.

But back to Richard. Who would have thought he would be such a sweet guy? He's actually dating a woman here in Utah whom he met during a science fiction convention last winter. It gives him an excuse to teach a workshop every few months.

The class consisted of about eight Utah actors and we spent eight hours a day listening to stories of the 'Biz', tips on auditioning, on how acting affects who you are and how you live your life and working scenes with partners. Richard looked and sounded great. He may have been a bit too nice in his feedback, though. I got a lot of praise and I would have liked to hear more criticism. I can't be that good. Maybe he was worried that I couldn't take it?

He was nice to everyone- telling this 12 yr old kid who could cry at the drop of a hat how he was born to act (personally, I thought the boy was great at making himself cry but he seemed to sob a bit too easily (it got old) and without understanding the character he was playing. But he's young and who am I to judge? I cried too in my scenes but it usually took connecting with my partner and the words before that happened.

It was fun to bond with the other classmates in this intensive weekend and to have the honor of Richard's wisdom. He's been in the industry for a long time (currently acting in the new Battlestar Galactica on the Sci Fi Channel and producing his own projects), has written books, does public speaking seminars and workshops in L.A. and has hosted a relationship radio show. He's a sensitive, deep man with a lot to give.

It felt good to hear that he is surprised by the talent in Utah. I hope that means he'll look to us when there's a project to cast. Since Everwood's cancellation, there's been a dearth of acting gigs. The weekend ended with big hugs and promises to come back in the Fall. Richard even autographed my 1978 copy of Tiger Beat! I'd take the class again, for sure.

So now there's just one more crush left. I met Donny Osmond while doing my morning show on Rock99, now Richard and, since Elvis is dead, only Shaun Cassidy remains. I don't know when or how but it feels like the odds are good.

9 Months Old and a Summer O Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 08:03:00 +0000

I don't write in my blog often enough. Time blips by faster than the paint chips from my nails. Sage is a healthy 20 pounds at 9 months old. She's apparently as big as most people's 2 year olds! She's outgrown her newborn clothes and now wearing 12-18 month stuff (so if anyone needs some cute little baby girly things, speak up!). She’s not crawling and that's my fault. How can you blame me? She's so sweet sitting on my bed, playing quietly with her Whoozit and alphabet blocks. Not to mention that I've read babies who take longer to walk are more intelligent than their twinkle-toed counterparts. Did I tell you that Sage is learning to swim? Well, not really but she's getting time in the water. She likes to grab her ankles like a breakdancer rather than do the backstroke when you hold her belly up to the sun but it makes everyone laugh and she smiles that stunning toothless grin. She blows raspberries on a regular basis so we've used that as a way to introduce blowing bubbles in the water and she's perfected the underwater pass without choking or wailing. Of course, it would be too much to expect that she would kick in the water but perhaps by the end of the summer… It's still early. I'd rather have her swim than crawl. It's safer in these parts. Crawling amid my clutter is a recipe for disaster.
Instead, she gets time in the jumper and the exersaucer and has learned to scoot backwards on her back when she feels like a change of scenery. She talks up a storm, sleeps 10-12 hours a night (with naps during the day), sits for hours without getting fussy (just ask the PR team for Reno), claps and waves. We think she's the cutest baby on Earth. But I know that's hormonal or something. I hear the same from other mothers – "my baby could be on the cover of magazines", then I look at their baby and think "uh, not." But what can you really say? Disagree? I'm not shallow, every baby is beautiful. It's an uncontaminated soul filled with inspiration, imagination and sparkling eyes and laughing heart. How can that be 'ugly'? But on a strictly esthetic level, there are some definitely ugly babies out there. I look back at newborn photos of Sage and think, ugh, she was not cute. But my OB-GYN swears Sage was a beautiful newborn. OK, I'll believe her.
Sage gets cuter by the day, though. I'm constantly mesmerized by her little hands and big blue eyes. (go to www.dropshots.com/pcskigal to see).
Enough baby gushing. It's been a busy May. We all flew to Reno for their annual River Fest at the beginning of the month. I sooo wish we had a river like the Truckee running through downtown Salt Lake where they could establish a whitewater park and I could practice my Eskimo rolls. For Memorial Weekend, we roadtripped (8 hours) to Telluride, Colo. for the MountainFilm Festival. The antithesis of Sundance, this Fest was subdued, intellectual and inviting to locals. We had no trouble getting into the flicks that interested us. Be on the lookout for a Canadian documentary called Sharkwater. It's a powerful plea to save the sharks the way we rallied to rescue whales and seals. It showed a soft side to those sharp-toothed creatures you would never believe.
I have to stay home for a while now to catch up and pack up. I begin construction in two months. Don Bloxom, a Park City designer, has some pretty impressive ways to spend the equity in my home. When it's all done I will have a new mother-in-law apartment for the grandmas to have 'space', a giant clutter-free (I hope) office with soundbooth and a built-in play area for Sage, and the master bathroom I've been dreaming about since I first moved here. Though ten years ago I settled for a spacious walk-in closet with a window and a phonebooth sized bathroom with only a shower, I never gave up my fantasy of a jetted tub with a view of the Wasatch, and a "thunder room" to wall off Ryan's, er, emissions. The closet becomes the bathroom, the bathroom, the closet. Voile!
I'll need some extra income to pay off the loan so if you know anyone looking for female voice or acting talent, an editor or writer, send them my way. I'm off to bed. It's quite late around here – my favorite time of day.

Sage at 20 pounds and 8 months!

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 06:35:00 +0000

I have been a slacker once again. Sage just turned 8 months old- two weeks ago. The ski season is pretty much over so I don't have any excuses left. Catching up? Prepping for my trip to San Diego? A slew of auditions? Sure that's all happening but I went back to writing in my journal and I get lazy duplicating my tales. But it's time when the emails all roll in asking how we're doing.
Babies are in the air this spring. My friend Mark Maziarz and his wife Mary Beth just popped out a little girl named Daisy (haven't seen her in person yet but because Mark is a professional photographer he's already got a website with photos of her. My old college roommate just announced she has twins due in May. A boy and a girl. Congrats, Sara!! (I always thought I wanted twins but then when decided I only wanted one child because I still want my life to resemble my life I was glad to hear I was only having my sweety Sage.) And my friend Kim is 15 weeks along. I'm hoping she'll have a girl. She's got a 2 year old boy that will have big issues learning to share mommy and daddy. A girl might ease things a bit. Two kids is just a scary proposition for me. I really only want Sage. Plus, I got off easy with her. No telling what it would be like a second time around- fat, complicated pregnancy, colic, Damian? I do wonder that since Ryan comes from a ridiculously enormous fam (a lot of that has to do with his parents divorcing and both remarrying into other large families), he may start to long for another kid.
I'm mobile with one. Today we're hanging in San Diego. My how a few months make all the difference. My parents were so excited (me too) to see Sage. It's been about five months and she has sprouted the most adorable personality- smiles, squeals, mellowness, bright eyes and alertness. She sits unassisted, reaching for toys, holding her own bottle, eating baby food, rolling over, saying bababa, and playing peekaboo. My mom and dad are having so much fun with her. I got in Thursday and because of the rainy day, we just hung out around the house. Yesterday, I met Kim for breakfast then hung out in the afternoon before going for Chinese at a non-descript but tasty place in Carlsbad. The SD Zoo was on our radar today. Joey's here too with Sarah (my niece). So while he was registering for the La Jolla Marathon, we checked out the Gorillas. Sage spent most of the day eyeing kneecaps from her stroller but one day she'll appreciate the photobook of SD animals we'll be signing to.
She's finally asleep. We got home and though the poor thing was wasted, she was wired from all of the activity and the vibe resonating throughout my parent's house. Joey, Sarah, Julie (my sister), my mom and dad. All present and socializing. Sage did not want to miss a moment. After dinner she played with Sarah's Crayons and Julie took pictures of me and the baby. I was so grateful- I've been dying to get shots like these but I'm usually the one taking the pictures. You can see some of them at www.dropshots.com/pcskigal.
If the weather's nice we're going to the beach tomorrow. Both of Sage's grandmas gave her these cute little swimsuits. Btw, we start a parent/tot swim class May 15 in Park City, after we get back from the Reno River Festival. I better get to sleep myself. I’m beat.

Sage is Seven Months Old!

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 07:58:00 +0000

My boobs are gone and my hair's falling out. If I didn't know better - that it was because I'm done breastfeeding- I'd think I was turning into a guy. I'll miss my boobs. I'll actually miss breastfeeding too. I appreciate the freedom but I feel like I've let Sage down. If I wasn't skiing so much, I wouldn't have dried up and she'd still be getting all of those yummy nutrients and immunities. At the same time, between the pumping and nursing, I never got anything done.
Sage seems fine with the switch and has taken to Costco's generic formula just fine. Which is a good thing since it's half the price of the name brands.
However, ignorance was bliss. Now that I know I could handle a C cup (quite well, thank you), I suppose I'll start saving up for my 50th birthday present. Renato Saltz did an amazing job on my friend's breasts; hope he's around by then.
Sage was soo cute tonight. We've been taking showers because she hated the bath but tonight was a break-through. Instead of trying to take a bath with her while she screamed bloody murder, I sat her in her baby tub with warm water and the shower going. At first she fussed but then settled in and started reaching for the floaty toys I tossed in. Once she seemed focused on them, I turned off the shower and voila!
Is it just me or am I that weird that motherhood and babydom are as smooth as a puppy's coat (so far)? Perhaps it was my experience raising Tenaya. In 1997, I dedicated myself to being the best dog mom on earth. Unlike other people who get a dog, dont' train it, never walk it, and kennel the poor thing whenever they leave home, Tenaya went everywhere with me; I trained her extensively so that it was possible. We traveled together and when she couldn't come with, I made sure she had care at my house. I bred her, helped her deliver 10 outstanding puppies, handpicking each's new home. Was that practice for the baby to come? I hear all of these scary and sad tales of mothers struggling with their "new life", raging hormones, babyfat, sleepless nights. I can't relate. And I can't believe that I am the only mother not whining. Sage is amazing, adorable, happy, fun to watch and all of those other things every babysitter showers on me. Up until this month I've spent most days and nights with her- movies, restaurants, travel, work. Life goes on but now Tenaya and I have a little buddy.
I get my sleep. She takes two long naps during the day and sleeps 10 hours at night. Soundly. While I watch TV and work. When she's awake, I feed her, change her, read to her, then set her in her crib or exersaucer or bouncy chair to play. She doesn't need my attention so I cook, clean, do laundry, write, shower - all of my normal daily activities. I've found excellent sitters who love spending time with her so I can ski when (er, if) there's good snow or a lesson to teach. I have been told that my attitude and ease have a lot to do with Sage's temperament. I'm not overly protective or rigid. I don't stress. We keep hours that work for both of us, I don't hover and if she wants to make Play-Dough of her cereal, why not? I've got the babywipes on the kitchen counter.
The one significant change in my life (besides the financial strain) is the endless stream of laundry. But I'm handling that too. Maybe my trials have yet to appear. Toddler years? Teen years? It can't all be flat water. Or maybe it is me and I waited just long enough in my life to be ready and able to care for a child without feeling lost, overwhelmed, frightened and angry; so Sage doesn't feel those things either. When I finally decided I was ready for a child, I wanted her as much as I've wanted anything in my life and even when she's crying I find it sweet. A little helpless baby cry that goes away in moments- with a cuddle or warm bottle of milk.

She's got two crooked, bottom baby teeth. The first bothered her a bit but nothing a soft cloth and Tylenol couldn't handle. The second popped out of nowhere without fuss.
Sage still doesn't like spending time on her tummy but she tolerates it. I picked her up from Mardi's house last week and she was on a rug at her feet while Mardi was doing dishes. Reminded me of those puppies. Sage looked up at me from the floor as if to say, "You back already?" She rolls over only when she feels like it; which isn't often. Her big belly could be the culprit. Talk about pudge! Eighteen pounds of squeezeableness. I call her Pooh Bear because, well, she's shaped like Pooh. She eats everything. I'm doing the jar food- green beans, peas, squash, sweet potatoes, applesauce, pears. She opens wide for it all. Can't you tell? ;)
No allergies yet so we'll soon move onto Stage 2 foods.
We went bowling yesterday. Kristen had a friend in town – Mike from REM- and we met up with them. Baker, Bresee and a few others. Bresee said I looked great and later said I was "hot". I hadn't heard those words from a man in a while. That was cool. That was very cool. It's not like I don't get out but I certainly don't put myself out there like that. Sometimes I wonder if motherhood cosmically changes your vibe. It was refreshing to hear otherwise. John, Thanks for that!!
We left the lanes about 10:30 p.m. Sage was already asleep in her car seat. She woke long enough for me to change her diaper and move her to her crib.
It's been a busy month with my teaching schedule at Park City Mountain Resort- four days a week. I want to spend more time with her but that will have to wait until next week. The snow totally sucks and it's not supposed to get any better so we can hang out a lot more. I haven't missed any milestones though!
She sits up without support. Crawling will be next. I'm sure my mobility will be curbed. But maybe not. I've been 'lucky' so far.

Every day, I wake and peer into her crib. Sometimes she's sleeping soundly; other times she's awake and quietly playing with her hands or "binky". When she spots me looking, her face lights up, a broad smile breaks and her eyes open wide. She coos and squeals with delight. I think that's my favorite part of the day now. Tenaya's here too. She picks up her head from her bed, ears propped and moves closer. My little family. We're all lucky.

P.S. Current photos are posted at www.dropshots.com/pcskigal

Oprah Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 06:50:00 +0000

In case you didn't get my email blast, Ryan, Sage and I were included in an article for O! Magazine this February. The piece had to do with relationships with big age gaps. The writer interviewed a handful of couples about the challenges and effects created when there's a generational difference and they used a HUGE photo of the three of us smack on the opening page of the story. A special thanks to my buddy and professional photog Richard Cheski who took the picture!
For those of you who couldn't find a copy...

BTW, Sage rolled over yesterday!! We were hanging at Ryan's apartment in Salt Lake, I set her on the playmat, she looked up at me, smiled and flipped. We were so proud of her. Just to make sure we weren't imagining things, I put her back on her tummy and she did it again! It must be all that time she's spending in her new bouncy chair my friend Krista sent me. There may be a bunch of controversy out there regarding the use of these things but Sage just loves it. And Krista's a school teacher. Her son Joe loved it too. Until Sage is walking or crawling, it's got to be the best self-powered activity out there for her. We promise to be careful.

Outdoor Retailer and SIA Shows: Gone But Not Forgotten

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 20:05:00 +0000

Perhaps the back-to-back dealings are finally registering with OR and SIA attendees. Both the OR and SIA shows seemed a tad slower this year. There were still meetings and buyers combing the floors of the convention centers but the activity was not nearly as vibrant in year's past. In addition, you heard a lot of groaninhg from crossover manufacturers as their buyers put off SIA meetings to see them at OR. "Why do we even bother?" murmured some sock companies.
The revved-up look of next year's outerwear made up for the slower pace. Boisterous boarder-inspired prints, plaids, tweeds and colors rocked the halls. We're flashing back to the 70s and 80s but without all of the neon. Kamik won raves both at OR and SIA for their psychedelic rubber rainboots for kids and women. Bonfire, Obermeyer, Liquid Boardwear, Five Seasons, Isis, Orage, all offered more feminie stylings and toggle-button jackets (where the closure comes across the chest like on a Chinese garment). Colors you'll see include more white, watermelon, greys, greens- even for men. Another noticeable trend was the number of new baselayer companies. Everyone's jumping on that bandwagon insisting their garment will produce the warmest/driest winter experience. Not only is Gordini (the glove manufacturer) making baselayers but they have entered the goggle market. In fact, next season you'll see a plethora of companies with goggles that attack the issue of switching out lenses for various lighting conditions. Eric Richter from Giro says their new Poptop goggle eliminates fingerprints, cracking and airholes you commonly get while trying to change out your lens. Just flip the toggle at the top and slide the new lens in. Back up a sec, Giro making goggles? Makes sense when you consider who better to close the gaper gap between goggles and helmets than the helmet giant itself. After years of research they've found a way to "map" the face, developing a comfortable goggle that has a nearly seamless fit with their helmet and gently kisses your cheek (rather than digs into it). Gordini's goggle works in similar fashion but you unclip the sides of the goggle to get the new lens to snap in. Uvex has been tweaking their Magic goggle to more efficiently jump from a light to darker lens with the push of a button. After last year's attention to the Snowskirt at SIA, Bonfire has come up with a pant that has a detachable skirt- fun and flirtly. As for hardgoods- skis are virtually the same but with updated cosmetics. Head's Monster series comes with a new torpedo-looking backcountry ski but the rest of the line stays the same - why mess with a good thing? You'll also see skis with manual damping devices. Volkl's Tiger Shark carver series features a powerf switch" dial on the tail to soften or stiffen the flex by adjusting springs you can see on the topsheet. Can't tell you much about the snowboard side as I kept my head low and cruised past. Their side of the SIA floor is downright unruly - trash everywhere, loud music, shouting, smoking (it's prohibited in the Hall), kicking back on couches. Ryan wondered if these guys actually get paid to be there. It's a wonder they have jobs. The kids' market is going off. Everywhere you turn they're making mini-versions of adult lines. There also seems to be a growing number of kids-only companies like Roonwear, Outside Baby, Snow Dragon, Molehill Mountain Equipment. Smartwool showed up their new infant merino wool sock and ShredAlert had the cutest little fleece bomber hats for baby. Speaking of hats, you're finally going to see some updates. Perhaps recognizing that most people wear helmets skiing and hats for Apres, next year's hats are fashion plates. Turtle Fur's new FU-R line is skate-inspired and more attention-getting than their old-school style brethren. Suede, faux fur and embroidered flowers adorn the styles.
At OR specifically, recycled fabrics were all the buzz. Patagonia just announced a new program to take recycled polypro from any company (not just theirs), ship it to Japan to be recycled and made into new Patagonia wear. I also noticed manufacturers common to the NY fashion scene, debuting at OR; especially footwear companies. Lots and lots of shoes at OR this year. Maryjanes are huge for next fall. Ecco, Merrell, Dansko, Keen, El Naturalista all have their ruggedized version of the MaryJane. Plus, the traditional hiking footwear companies have added fashionable, calf-high boots for everyday wear.
Another big trend for this summer through fall- the running skort. Sorry, Guys. When the runner chick bends over you get to see NOTHING.
My last observation: companies that seem to have no connection to outdoor recreation hosting boothes and writing orders. Yellowman, for instance, uses tatoo artists from around the world to create designs on long- and shortsleeved Ts. I doubt they would compete with a Duofold baselayer for functionality but they looked pretty cool. Cass and Co., on the other hand, had a great concept of supportive, seamless undergarments made with copper to not only keep the fat rolls from showing under your tops and bottoms but also to tone and stimulate. Anti-aging clothing! That's about it from the floor. Most of the new innovations are still in prototype form. We won't see the final versions until the fall. I can't wait!

Sundance Questions

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 20:55:00 +0000

Hello Jill, I'm Chris-

Later this week, I'm going to be paying my first visit to Park City, luckily and coincidentally it's during the final weekend of Sundance.

I was browsing around finding out more about the activities and film festival so I could take advantage and experience it. I stumbled upon a blog site where a posting had been submitted by you. I found it interesting and informative, but at the same time a little disheartening. It seems to me that an everyday average guy…me being from St. Louis, and a divorced 30something, that there's not a whole lot of involvement for people like me. Since I won’t be walking around with VIP stamped on my hand, or have a tie-in to the movie industry, is it more going to be me getting shunned out of restaurants and away from anything fun? I know that sounds kind of negative, but from what I've read, that seems to be the case in a lot of ways. So, I turn to you for some advice…how can a couple of average Joe's from St. Louis go out and have a grand time in Park City, and take in the whole experience of Sundance. Oh, for the record, while I think it'd be cool to run into a celeb walking past me on the streets, chasing the stars around is not my idea of fun..haha.

THANKS! (I did enjoy your blog post by the way)

Chris

St. Louis, MO

Hi Chris- I wish I had better news for you but unless you are a ragingly hot chick, your chances for the hookup are quite slim. The women at the Fest are primarily interested in celebs and filmmakers- those who can open doors to the private parties and beyond. That said, there are a few places where Sundance meets Park City-
For dining:
Prime Steakhouse (tell Brian Morgan, Jill Adler sent you), Blind Dog (you might have to bride the concierge), Wahso, and Shabu.
For people watching, these Sundance venues allow the general public "space permitting": The Leaf Lounge (winetasting and schmoozing), 751 Main Street, 3-9 pm.; Entertainment Weekly Café, VWHQ, HP Snapshot Chalet, Stella Artois Patio, Aquafina Alive all at the Kimball Art Center; AOL Cyber Lodge, 614 Main St., Delta Sky Lodge, 449 Main, KRUPS at the Rabbit Hole, 333 Main St..

The hot thing this weekend is to score a ticket/invite/name on the list to the Zone Bar - a four-night acoustic showcase hosted by multi-Grammy Award winner Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds. Joss Stone, Bird York and legendary guitarist Stanley Jordan, Joan Osborne, Jonny Lang, Keb Mo', Sean Lennon, Lindsey Buckingham, Shelby Lynne, Shawn Colvin, Daniel Powter and Marc Broussard, and surprise performances from special guests are part of the evenings from Thursday to Sunday, 6-9 pm.
If you do miss it, the concerts will air in high-definition as a one-hour primetime special on the WE cable network later this spring.

Ride the buses!!! For one thing, it's free and saves stress from the parking nightmare that has become Park City. For another, you can eavesdrop and find out about what's going on around town. You never know. Someone might just invite you guys to join them.

Sundance Day Two; Swagdance

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:04:00 +0000

It's insane in Park City this weekend. Spend anytime near the Town Lift (aka Village at the Lift) and you feel like you're smack in the middle of Times Square. I can't walk Main Street without pressing my nose to someone's black coat back. The T-Mobile Café spills over with puffy jackets, dark glass and beanies. Hugs and double-cheeked kissing are as common as ordering a latte here.

There's no room for the bags we're all sporting. Shopping bags spilling with boutiquey items gifted at the various lounges and houses that make Sundance, Swagdance. It began with the Premiere Lounge's Backstage Creations Celebrity Retreat. I hiked the stairs of the Riverhorse to find it much more cramped as a gifting suite than a restaurant. Intermix is here. The luxury boutique in NY, L.A. Boston, The Hamptons, etc. had their table in the back of the room with a rack featuring couture lines Aulo trouser jeans and Chan Luu sweaters. They handed me their "Black Book" - a travel guide for fun, hip spots in the cities where they have stores. I was quick to swoop down on the BaByliss Pro travel blowdryer by Conair. I'm sure this little “baby” has come in handy for many a VIP at Sundance. In the main room there were new and improved Rembrandt Whitening strips - all that coffee-drinking this week takes it toll, Bean Pod soy candles, Livs crochet boots (!), Sweet Leaf sweetener, and a Utah company called Tahitian Noni that makes a line of natural skincare products and now natural teas. No celebs walked in while I was there but it was early. Soon I would be proceeded by Teri Hatcher..AT EVERY SITE. That's one over-exposed lady. I was excited to learn that she's human. She gets regular Restylane injections. The line-filler company had a table at The Marquee to educate us on injectables to keep us more youthful. Though Hatcher pretended to shun the company, an inside source told me she's one of their favorite customers. It takes more than good genes to look younger than your years! What I don't get is why she wouldn't want to admit she's not perfect? It would be stellar promotion for the company, and the rest of the world wouldn't feel inadequate at 45.

The Marquee, a slick take on the Marquee Club in New York, hosted AG Jeans (cords are still in style), La Coste's new women's line of sexy polos and henleys, Polaroid (gifting their little i630, 6mp digi in the hopes that celebs will bust them out throughout Sundance) , and Lia Sophia jewelry. The line is sold similar to Mary Kay and doing quite well; probably because the bold designs are so original. The best part of that lounge (besides getting a gift certificate for a free Restylane treatment!) was getting a skin consulation from Dermalogica (and products). Who knew there was a difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin?? Apparently, if your skin has fine lines and the texture of tissue paper, you're dehydrated.

Fred Segal Salon at VAL was my next stop. The place has the ambiance of a fine boutique rather than a trade show. I picked up silky panties from Le Mystere, black Habitual jeans, Alora fragrance diffusers, more skincare from DermaNew (a personal microdermabrasion kit) and haircare products from Kerastase and L'Oreal (they have a new lightweight professional hairspray called Infinium). Teri Hatcher whizzed in and grabbed a boxful of T-shirts from Little Miss. The line of super cute cartoon smiley faces are about to take off. Teri and Tara Reid liked the Little Miss Naughty, Chatterbox and Shy. Making their Sundance debut, boots from Earth Shoe (the company with the negative heel technology. The heel's lower than the rest of the sole.). I especially like the ankle-height, winter Igloo boots with suede and faux fur even though the stars were grabbing the knee-high boots.

As I bounced from the various houses a trend was emerging. Instead of the "big players" plastering their logos and brand all over Sundance, the event has become a place for small upscale companies to target a particular clientele - one with bucks, power, and taste. Each had a smattering of companies trying to get their names known- kind of like the actors, writers and directors attending Sundance. We'll visit more hotspots when I return.

Sundance Day- The Groundlings

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 16:31:00 +0000

Sundance is off and running. The streets of Park City, Utah, are a nightmare to navigate, parking non-existent, theater lines inconvenient, and ticket prices ridiculous (if not sold-out). This is a festival by and for independent filmmakers – actors, writers, directors, all hoping to land a big project based on what they show of themselves at this event. The only place for Park City locals is on the sidewalk.
Film distributors and producers, agents and CEOs, spend night and day through Jan. 28 hunting for their next hit. Paparazzi and tabloids comb Main Street and gifting lounges hoping for a glimpse at Justin sans Cameron or Tara Reid’s cleavage. My guess is that this is probably the biggest collection of Hollywood stars outside of the Oscars or Cannes. Just hang out around the Village at the Lift (lower Main Street) for 15 minutes and I guarantee you’ll see an entourage of bodyguards and publicists surrounding a diminutive “name” in over-sized sunglasses walking out of Fred Segal with arms full of shopping bags. Just look for the frenzy of flashing bulbs.

The celebs are here promoting their films – Teri Hatcher, Kate Bekinsdale, Sienna Miller, Steve Buscemi, Heather Graham, Chris Klein, Molly Shannon, Anthony Hopkins, Christian Slater, and on and on. They’re not skiing- between interviews, screenings and swag collecting, who’s got the time? And you must look closely as they're often hard to spot. The PR assistants look more like starlets than the actual starlets. I spotted John Hensley at the DC Mountain Lab ( Matt on Nip/Tuck) and thought he looked familiar. I could have sworn he was that Taco Bell manager who hit on me at Cisero’s five years ago.

In the days leading up to this annual event, my excitement and anticipation grows. I grew up in Los Angeles, went to school at UCLA, grad school at USC, worked in the film industry (acting as well as an agent’s assistant at ICM Talent Management) and have several friends in “the business” that I invariably bump into at some point during the 10-day event. I think it will be like homecoming. But then on opening day, I get a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I see these strangers in black, with finely made-up skin, tailored jeans and expensive, flowing scarves (Utahns don’t wear scarves), talking into their Bluetoothes and I catch myself actually feeling embarrassed to say I’m from Utah. Get the irony? I live in a place that others spend thousands of dollars to visit and I’m feeling self-conscious! I want to slap myself and yet I can’t stop. It’s the vibe. You can’t help feeling like an outsider at Sundance. Everyone, and I mean everyone, looks at you wondering why you are here and who you are. Unless you have an industry pass or are related to someone in the film biz, the average Joe gets snubbed.

Locals often use the word “tolerate” in the same sentence with the Sundance Film Festival. This year, despite the supposed influx of 60+ million dollars to the State, they say they can’t stand these last two weeks of January. There is no free parking anymore. Some greedy city official made the free lots near the high school $10. And the parking lots behind Main Street are charging $30! The buses are free but they move slower than the Tortoise. Hitchhiking is the only way to travel now. Or try to catch a ride in one of the several VW escorts cruising around town (act like you’re with a film in the Fest).

If you’re here just to watch films, you should have bought a festival pass long ago. Only the serious film buff will find it worth the money. Many of the flicks at Sundance are hit and miss so why spend $15 (it was $10 last year) to see a bad movie? The good ones will arrive at theaters, rental stores and TV stations soon enough. Instead, take time to walk up and down Main Street, check out the shops, have coffee and eavesdrop on strangers’ conversations. Sundance is more about ‘the scene’ than participating.

There are three things I love about Sundance and none of them are related to the Festival organization itself- The Village at the Lift, Chefdance, and the gifting suites.

VAL turns the Town Lift into a minihub for the movie and TV industry. Every storefront morphs into a space sponsored by big corporations like T-Mobile, Fred Segal, Philips Lighting, and Heineken; where ‘VIPs’ and media network. I’m visiting tomorrow so check back.

Chefdance is run by Utah local Kenny Griswold, who owns the Harry O’s building on Main Street. He hosts the food and wine event in a space downstairs that will soon be a year-round Mediterranean restaurant called Onassis. In the meantime, guest chefs from Boston, Florida, New York, California and Utah premiere a menu of their choice to a select list of invitees. The place is packed, wall-to-wall, with boisterous personalities from everywhere- including Utah. This is one event that oozes warmth and vibrance. We’re here because someone invited us and here’s to a damn fine evening! At my table sat the owner of WireImage, two girls from Us Weekly and an editor for Star Magazine. One table over was a group from Salt Lake City that sells wholesale foods to a major restaurant food distributor. Another table of Indianans clinked glasses of House Wine (that’s the name of the wine) and laughed about college days. The food was better than any movie screening last night- the chefs from Social Hollywood and Social Miami served up lobster risotto, braised short rib, seared Kobe beef, whipped potatoes and a decadent Mexican hot chocolate with churros for dipping that was like a spicy, melted pudding.

My evening didn’t end until 11 p.m. Now, that’s the right way to start Sundance.
Tomorrow, the gifting begins. To say Utah lacks fashion sense is like saying 0 degrees is cold. Sundance brings culture and couture. It establishes trends (remember the pink Motorola Razor phone?) and displays before-unheard-of companies. They do it by way of The Premiere Lounge, The Marquee, The Ultimate Green Room, The Style Lounge, The Global Green House, The Delta Sky Lounge, The Fred Segal Salon, The Warm Winter Retreat; places that during the rest of the year are Park City’s fine restaurants, art galleries, second homes and real estate offices. This week, they house boutique brands and name-brands- and even charities. Tommy Hilfiger, Kiehls, MAC Cosmetics “gift” VIPs in the hopes that a photo might be taken of Antonio Banderas wearing a pair of Timberland Boots or Sharon Stone in a 2 Be Free sweatshirt; or mention made in a national magazine or newspaper. What I like is that unless I was down in front for the display, I’d still be wearing Gap jeans and Express sweaters. I never knew James Jeans could fit and look better on me or Le Mystere bras and panties kicked butt over Victoria Secret. My belts were Gap too …until I found Linea Pelle. I can’t wait to see what’s hip and cool in 2007. And for that Utahns have Sundance to thank.

Jill Adler has lived in Park City for 16 years, teaching skiing, writing and chasing style. www.jilladler.com

Nearly Five Months Old!

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 05:44:00 +0000

Sage has been a blast and a very happy, easy baby. She'll be five months old next week and a chubby 14 pounds. Considering her birthweight was 6 pounds, that's some healthy eating. At her four-month checkup, her pediatrician gave me props for producing such a "well-nourished" child.
Everything is healthy and oncourse--with the exception of her not rolling over. Sage hates 'tummy time' so we've let it slide but now she gets it twice a day whether she's into it. I think it's close. I can't wait for her to actually do something so I can start rolling tape on her. She's close to sitting on her own once propped up and has great head control. Her squeals and gigantic smiles are heartwarming. I can't figure out who smiles first. She lights up when either Ryan or I walk in the room. Ryan said last night that he was going to miss this stage. Personally, I am really looking forward to the day she can hug me back.
I love her so much. I see her face in my head everywhere I go. I miss her when she's not around. Even her cries melt me. Who would have thought? Certainly not me. Tenaya takes it all in stride. She guards Sage and frequently licks her. I'm usually tripping over her to get to the baby.
Taking after her mom, she does tend to watch a little too much TV but I get a kick out of watching her stare at Big Bird. To be honest, she likes music videos a lot more.
She sleeps through the night - her night. Because I don't usually go to bed before 1 a.m. I'm not getting much sleep when she wakes at 5. But she's so cute I can't be upset. She's still nursing but I have begun to supplement with formula simply because I can't keep up with the demand. I've been skiing every day since Dec. 18 and there's no way to pump enough. Speaking of skiing. It hasn't been all that. Global warming? Whatever is it, it's making for a mediocre start to the season. A storm is supposedly on the way but there's only 2-4 inches forecast. Life as I have known it has not completely disintegrated. I still ski, talk on the phone, go to movies, go to dinner, surf the web. I was able to find a girl that wanted to trade a place to live this winter for babysitting. I also found a very sweet woman that runs a daycare out of her home for $5/hr. Everything just fell into place.
In four short months we've been to Yosemite, San Diego and Boston. The Mass. trip was for Thanksgiving with Ryan's family. The size of a small town, his circle couldn't get enough of her. I love that she is so loved but for me it was four days in family hell. It was non-stop 'visiting'. As nice as everyone was, it was just too much for me. My family fits in one room on one day. That's what I'm comfortable with.
We drove the baby around to FIVE houses on Thanksgiving Day in pouring rain. Friday, I insisted on alone time by going to breakfast with Ryan only to come back to his house to find six people in his living room passing the baby around like a show and tell object. The only time I held my own daughter was when I fed her or before we passed out at night. To some, I'm sure this is endearing. But as I've said before, I come from a more stoic family. They like watching me with Sage and don't have as much interest in holding her 24/7.
I was screaming inside but Ryan wouldn’t hear it. He's so used to that scene that he looks forward to it. Ugh. He thought I was being a wuss because I couldn't handle it for "just five days". He doesn't get that even two days without 'space" is too much for someone who gets space every day for hours at a time. And sleeping doesn't equal space. And before we left for Mass., Ryan made me promise that I wouldn't duck out no matter how claustrophobic or stressed I felt because he said it would be rude! There was no escape.
I want Sage to know her family on both sides but there has to be a better option than what I experienced last month. Ryan's mom, stepdad and brother will be here next month. I'm sure we'll figure something out and it won't be anything like Thanksgiving. For one thing, they're staying at his apartment in SLC and Sage and I will be in Park City at my house (Ryan and I stayed in his mom's basement over Thanksgiving). His mom is supposed to come up here to visit while the boys ski.
Sage will love spending time with her and vice versa but then I get time alone too. Best of both worlds! Her are some pics of the guest of honor :
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=pcskigal&aid=576460762382401414&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;pid=&wtok=G7_7N6E0nuM10W8YM3XZjA--&ts=1167889241&.src=ph

**Thanks to Babystyle.com for the killer green sweatsuit and snowflake hat in the photo above. Their stuff is soooo cute!

Three Months Old and Still Cute as Hell

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 07:50:00 +0000

Baby's crying real tears now. I never thought my heart could break from something other than a boyfriend dumping me. But when I look at this helpless little creature wailing and wailing with tiny tears in the far corners of her eyes, I want to cry to. It's usually all about the boob so I can arrest her tears in a flash. It's times like when Ryan clipped Sage's thumb instead of her nail that kill me. The poor little thing cried so hard she almost couldn't breathe. She was so exhausted that she slept the rest of the day and night.
The trauma is long over and she lives a fairly leisurely life- waking at 7 a.m., back to bed until 10 or 11 a.m. , swing in her chair in mommy's office, nap, eat and get regular diaper changes. Sage isn't rolling over or sitting up yet. Her latest milestone has been the occasional laugh. But she's starting to reach out at objects and staying awake and aware for longer periods. Today must have been growth spurt day. She couldn't go an hour without crying for more milk. I can't keep up with the demand.
She's still portable. We saw Babel last week; ate dinner at PF Chang's and stopped into Ski Utah's Snow Jam at the Gallivan Center. Though it wasn't our scene AT ALL (skaterats and snowboarders), it got us out of the house. This week is a different story. We're attending a wine dinner at Fleming's. No, we're not letting her taste- Ryan won't let me- but she gets exposure to the 'finer things.'
As for me, I'm tired; but that's my own damn fault. I don't go to bed when she does. Ryan and I are both nightowls. It doesn't help that we are back up at 7 a.m. when she wakes.
Ryan's been spending every weekend up at my place. Last weekend, we spent two days organizing the garage before it was too late (translation: winter hits). We installed Yakima's Ground Control rack system and it transformed the space; or shall I say created space I didn't know I had.
And not a moment too soon! Sage's first winter began with a major snowstorm Saturday night. The resorts have more than 30 inches of base and Brighton opens Wednesday, with Alta following suit Thursday.
My hunt for a live-in sitter may have ended. A girl training for the Skeleton at the
Oy Sports Park is trading me her time in exchange for a room this winter. My ski season might not be thrashed after all!
Gotta shower and sleep. It's been a long day. Toodles!
for recent pics of Sage: http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=pcskigal&aid=576460762340005016&pid=&wtok=L1bDcgVWB0mBQn_xA6bjjg--&ts=1163493599&.src=ph

Two Month Check Up

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 06:08:00 +0000

Sage passed her two month exam with flying colors. She now weighs 9 lbs 10oz and is 22 inches long! She's getting to be a big baby and has already outgrown a couple of her outfits. She stays awake longer and spends most of that time checking out her scenery. She's more interested in my shelf of nailpolishes than in the faces before her and she's beginning to clutch at things and can hold her head up. Her next step is rolling over.
She's sleeping about six hours at night, waking for a quick feed, then drifting off again for another couple of hours. It's not so bad so long as I can get to sleep at a decent hour (tonight that's not happening) . This morning, I plopped her into her vibrating chair and took a shower, blew dry my hair and headed to a commercial audition in Salt Lake City. I can't say that I have the mommy thing down 100 percent but it's not too overwhelming. Now if I could only motivate to work. I waste sooo much time playing on the internet, loading photos, emailing friends and working on the Sports Guide that I have neglected my other writing avenues. Sage occupies a significant portion of my day but more because I want her to rather than because she demands it. Like her little onesie reads "It's all about me." You also begin to feel that nothing else is as important as taking care of a child. This is what it's all about. This is what we're here for. Everything else is busy work.
My parents return from Europe this week and I may scoop Sage up and fly out to San Diego so the rest of my family can meet her. Once the ski season starts, they won't see her until the spring. She'll be seven or eight months old by that time. Plus, we have a Thanksgiving in Massachusetts that's bound to challenge even a sentry at Buckingham Palace. San Diego will be an effective trial run if I can corrdinate a time to fly.
I'm beat now. One last thing. It snowed today. It was a blizzard actually- our third winter storm in the fall. I never told you this but it snowed on the day Sage was born- Aug. 12. Ryan and I got a kick out of that. It was a sign!
More Photos: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/pcskigal/album?.dir=/4e44scd&.src=ph&.tok=ph2jwqFB1awdge4J

Our First Roadtrip!

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 08:42:00 +0000

Sage is seven weeks old. Boy, time flies when you're changing diapers and nursing. Everyone has asked me that universal question: How are you doing? I'm fine ...and probably better than most new moms from what those who have seen me say.
I don't feel quite rested 24/7 but I do get some sleep and although my tummy is too soft for my liking, I don't feel fat.
Knowing that I was never a kid person and lived quite the selfish life, you'll be pleased to know that I still get around, still go to movies and out to dinner, still have tons of fun and Sage is a dream child 80 percent of the time. Yes, there is the occasional hour or night when she's a female Damian but for the most part I couldn't be luckier or happier. She sleeps long enough for me to get 30 minutes in on my stairstepper, to do laundry, eat breakfast, respond to email and complete a 12-hour roadtrip to Yosemite. We got back last night from the national park and the poor thing didn't scream once from being strapped to a carseat for what seemed like an eternity. She wailed only when she wanted my boob and we would either feed her the bottle or make a 'nurse' stop.
I'm starting to exercise again. I was such a slacker the last few months. We climbed two days in Yosemite and I have a Stroller Strides class in Salt Lake City tomorrow morning. All I can say is that motherhood isn't as bad as everyone has made it out to be. It hasn't changed my life so completely yet that I have any regrets or feel like I've "lost myself." I tell people that having a child is like having 12 puppies. You're busier than you ever wanted to be but she is so adorable it makes up for any inconvenience. And all I want to do is hold her so I guess it's my own fault I'm getting nothing else done these days.

Sage's first campfire

For more photos click :http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/pcskigal/album?.dir=/fc4bscd&.src=ph&.tok=phGFimFBigIPPt7k

Drumroll Please...Baby Sage Has Arrived!

noreply@blogger.com (Jill Adler) — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 07:37:00 +0000

It seems like just last week that I was still collecting maternity clothes and playing around with outfits. Today, I'm all about nursing tops. The 39 weeks flew by. I can barely remember being pregnant now except for the excrutiating contractions that preceded the big day.
The Outdoor Retailer Show cruised into Salt Lake last week and, determined not to miss an appointment, I booked up the days and made my way to Willard Bay for the outdoor demo day. Why the organizers insist on running that event so far away from everything is beyond me- especially when we have at least three other great reservoirs within 30 minutes of the Salt Palace. Instead I hauled my butt about an hour from town to hang on the shore in the 90-degree heat and meet with a few manufacturers like Teva, Garmin, Hobie. I felt fine and still no one really said anything to me about being pregnant (except when I pointed it out myself and then they offered statements of disbelief.) When are you due? they'd ask. Next week! I'd eagerly and proudly reply. If only to be so lucky. The due date came early.
I hit the show on Thursday, making all of my appointments - including the party at the Depot featuring Flock of Seagulls. I stayed the night at Ryan's place with every intention of hitting the show bright and early the next day. Then those damn contractions. Imagine your worst menstral cramps (or, guys, diarrhea) then times by 10. Every five minutes they hit, driving me to screams, pillow clutching and pummeling, and thoughts of guns and bullets. I couldn't take the pain but the hospital told me to wait until these contractions were THREE minutes apart rather than five. You have got to be joking, I thought. After three hours, the status hadn't changed but I couldn't sit around. We drove home to Park City at 6 a.m. where I collapsed on my bed from exhaustion and managed to sleep...for 15 minutes before the next round of contractions. Stef called in a prescription for Lortab and I laid low on Friday. By nightfall, I was sick of sitting in the house. Ryan and I headed back to Salt Lake for the OWIC Ramp It Up Party at Port O'Call.
The room spun and the appetizers swing-danced in my belly until I was grabbing for empty glasses on the table and hurling into them. I swear to God, I'm telling the truth. I filled four glasses with puke then covered them with napkins. It was too crowded to make a dash for the bathroom safely.
Home by midnight. Contractions by 2 a.m. it had begun again. At 4 a.m. Ryan drove me to St. Mark's. At 5 a.m. I was four centimeters dialated and the epidural flowed. A sigh of relief sped through my body. They left us in the delivery room to sleep and wait for further dialation. at 6 a.m. Stef arrived to tell me that they were going to dose me with pitocin because the epidural had slowed the dilation. More drugs? Cool.
At 10:25 a.m., game on. The head was already peeking and though I could feel absolutely nothing from the belly button down, I held my parapalegic-legs and did an upright version of ab crunches to the delight of my doctor. Three 'pushes' and out popped Sage. It was 10:33 a.m.
Ryan and I can't stop staring at our little girl. She's gorgeous. Of course, I wonder if I just think that beause she's mine but who cares. The 6 lb, 17" tiny creature is beyond anything I could imagine. She's a week old now and still I can't get enough time with her. It's hard to get anything else done as I find myself watching her every little movement and facial expression. She stetches often- like a kitten. She purses her lips like Betty Boop when she's about to wake up for feeding; she scrunches her face when she squeezes out a little green poop. And she's so quiet! Rarely cries and almost always asleep, she's too tiny for much more.
Sage isn't sleeping through the night but she's making a valiant attempt. She'll wake at 2 a.m., 4:30 a.m. and then 10 a.m. I can handle the hours (look, I'm writing this blog at 2) but Ryan is a mess and can be quite irritating when he's woken like this. He's here on paternity leave and will go back to Salt Lake and work next week. His mom has been here all week as well but she leaves Monday. She came to help out but I don't need it- not yet. So this was more a time for Grandma to bond. My mom will be here Thursday.
Well, I've babbled enough and need to try to sleep before the baby wakes and needs a boob. I've posted photos at http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/pcskigal/album?.dir=/e9dere2&.src=ph&.tok=phO3WXFB4LlCA7Fa if you care to surf over to yahoo!
P.S.-We're still in need of small Happy Heinys pocket and Wallypop All In One cloth diapers if you are thinking of sending a gift. We need about 20 of these things to start cloth diapering her but we only have 5 so far. They are pretty cool inventions. You can check them out at http://babysbottomline.com & http://www.thestorkwearhouse.com.